Holder assembly for dental tools

ABSTRACT

A holder assembly for a dental tool fed through an elongate flexible connection having a support member for the flexible connection rotatably mounted on a shaft, and biasing means connected to the support member through a lost motion coupling and counterbalancing the weight of the flexible connection and the support member in the working position of the tool.

I United States Patent 1 ,740,852 Holmqvist June 26, 1973 [54] HOLDERASSEMBLY FOR DENTAL TOOLS 3,210,846 10/1965 Balkin 32/22 Inventor: J G aUlrik uo mqvist Ystad, 2,810,196 10/1957 Lauterbach 32/23 Sweden FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS {73] Assignee; Tomelflla Dental AB, Ystad Sweden507,243 11/1954 Canada 32/22 22 Filed: Sept. 8, 1970 PrimaryExaminer-Robert Peshock 1 PP 70,039 Attorney-John Lezdey [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT S t. 9, 1969 S d 12397 69 ep ween A holder assembly for a dental tool feed through an [52] US. Cl.32/22 elongate flexible connection having a support member 51 Int. Cl.A61c 19/02 the flexible Mammy mmmted a [58] Field of Search 32/22 23shaft and biasing means cmmected suPPort member through a lost motioncoupling and counter- References'c'ited balancing the weight of theflexible connection and the UNITED STATESPATENTS support member in theworking position of the tool.

3,050,855 8/1962 Ellis 32/26 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures HOLDER ASSEMBLYFOR DENTAL TOOLS This invention relates to a holder assembly for dentaltools, such as dental engines, air and water syringes etc., which arefed through elongate flexible connections each drawn up to the holderassembly.

The term elongate flexible connections as used herein is meant to coverair and water hoses, power supply cords, etc.

It is customary to dispose all the tools of the above mentioned kindwhich are required in dentistry on a holder assembly pivoted to thedental chair and readily brought into a suitable working position. Thetools primarily concerned are dental engines of the compressed -air typenow predominating, and air and water syringes,

but other types of course are also conceivable.

The use of the equipment is facilitated if the dental tools in questionare of low weight, easy to grasp and provided with light-weight hoses orflexible cords. In the absence of a holder assembly the hoses hangfreely between the compressor and/or pump unit and the tool used. It isalso known to load the hoses with weights and to let them run overrollers for retraction; If the dental engines and the syringes aredisposed .on a holder assembly the freely hanging hoses are dispensedwith, and the relatively short hose lengths can be wound onto a numberof reels built into the assembly. When the dental engines and syringesare not in use the hoses are kept stored in the assembly, the toolsbeing usually placed in the insertion holes of the hoses.

A serious drawback of these known arrangements is that the hoses andcords and their weight are troublesome in the sensitive work carried outby a dentist. The ideal solution of course would be to use the tools asif they were not connected to any hoses or cords, that is to say theweight, length or run of the hoses or cords must not affect the handlingof the tools and thus have a tiring effect on the operator. Naturally,they should not either come in contact with the patient. To facilitategrasping and replacing the tools the tool holder assembly proper shouldbe so designed that the dentist is able to both grasp and replace thetools without moving his eyes from the work he is doing.

In an earlier attempt at overcoming the abovementioned drawbacks andsatisfying the requirements made the hose and cord lengths running fromthe holder assembly to the tools are supported each by an elasticsupport member protruding from the holder assembly, such as a coilspring. I

Of course, such an arrangement implies considerable which is adapted tocounterbalance the weight of the hose or cord length and the supportmember, the engagement being such that the support member and thebiasing means are interconnected in that angular range of the rotarymovement of the support member which corresponds to the working range ofthe tool, but are released from another in that angular range of therotary movement of the support member which corresponds to replacing thetool into position of readiness.

The invention will be described more in detail in the following,reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a holder assemblyas seen from the rear;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, as seen obliquely from in front, of themain constituents of the holder assembly in a partly exploded state;

FIG. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of a second embodiment of theholder assembly.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a baseplate 1 has twoupstanding side members 2 for supporting' a shaft 3. Two support members4 and an interjacent balancing-member 5 are disposed on said shaft 3,Each support member 4 consists of a body portion 6 and a rigid tube 7protruding therefrom, through which passes a hose or cord 9 leading to atool, such as a handpiece 8, and anchored at the outer end of the tubeby means of an elastic sleeve 7, said hose or cord 9 extendingapproximately diametrically through the body portion 6 and from there toa source (not shown) of electric power, air, water or the like. The bodyportions 6 and the balancing member '5 are mounted on the shaft 3' bymeans of ball bearings 10 to eliminate friction.

In FIG. 1 the tubes 7 are shown in position of readiness, i.e. inclinedagainst a rod 11 interconnecting the side members 2. Thecounterbalancing described hereinbelow takes place only when the supportmember 4 by means of a pull at the handpiece 8 and consequently the hoseor cord 9 has been turned upwardly through an angle a to a positionimmediately before the tube 7 reaches vertical position. In this angularrange the support member 4 is not counterbalanced. At a continuedadvantages in relation to the prior-art devices, but it does notconstitute an ideal solution, The support spring is disadvantageousfirst of all because movements of the tool readily give rise tooscillations of the spring, which results in jerks at the hose or cord.Another disadvantage is that it is not possible to attain the desiredtotal counterbalancing of the weight of the hoses or cords. Also, arelatively small working range only may be counterbalanced by means ofsaid spring.

The above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior-art construction describedare overcome by means of the holder assembly suggested by the presentinvention. This holder assembly is characterized in that a protrudingrigid support member for supporting the hose or cord length is rotatablymounted on a shaft of the holder assembly and via a laterally protrudingpin or rib engages biasing means generating a force the size of pull atthe handpiece'B the support member 4 is swung further through an angularworking range B in which the weight of the support member 4 and that ofthe hose or cord length 9 are completely balanced.

To attain this function the support member 4 and the balancing member 5in certain cases must permit being released from one another, that isinthe angular range of readiness a. This is realized in the manner shownin FIG. 2. t

The balancing member 5 which is provided at the lower portion with anadjustable counterweight 12 for counterbalancing the weight of thesupport member 4 and the hose or cord length 9 is provided in itssurface facing the support member 4 with a channel 13 in which a pin 14protruding laterally from the support member 4 is caused to engage. Uponrotation of the support member 4 in the direction indicated by the arrow15 from the position of readiness the pin 14 initially moves freely inthe channel'l3, but at the beginning of the angular working range B itwill engage one end 16 of the channel, thereby carrying the balancingmember 5 along so that the support member 4 and the hose-or cord length9 are completely counterbalanced.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a balancing member 5 cooperateswith two support members 4, which implies that measures must be taken toprevent rotation of one support member from the position of readinesswhen the other support member is utilized and counterbalanced. This isrealized by the channel 13 being extended rearwardly in the directionaway from the end 16 so that the pin 14 of the support member which isat rest is not acted upon by the balancing member at the rotationthereof.

Of course, one balancing member 5 could be provided for each supportingmember, in which case the channel 13 need not have the rearwardextension described in the foregoing. However, for reasons of space andcost it is preferable to have two support members cooperate in themanner shown with one balancing member. It would also be possible tohave more than two support members cooperate with one balancing member,but such an arrangement would be complex in structural respect.

In the embodiment illustrated the hose or cord supporting portion of thesupport member is a tube 7, and the hose 9 extends through said tube 7and the support member 4. However, other possibilities of running thehose 9 are conceivable as long as the protruding portion of the supportmember is substantially rigid and counterbalanced in the mannerdescribed hereinbefore.

The holder assembly could also be provided with rest means for holdingthe tools in inoperative position. In the present instance said restmeans is a magnet 17 which as shown can be formed as an elongatehorseshoe magnet- In case the tools are not ferromagnetic thin strips orlike means of such material may be attached thereto. The advantage ofhaving the rest means for holding the tools in an inoperative positiondesigned as a magnet is on the one hand that the operator can replacethe tool on the holder assembly withou'r raising his eyes from the workhe is doing, and on the other hand that the rest means need not besterile. Should it nevertheless be desired to keep it sterile a thinexchangeable plastic film or the like is readily applicable to themagnet.

Another embodiment of the holder assembly according to the invention isshown in FIG. 3 where the biasing means is a spring instead of abalancing member with a counterweight ln FIG. 3 the parts having theircounterpart in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 carry the samereference numerals as in said Figures. The support member 4 includingthe tube 7 for receiving a hose or cord is rotatable about the shaft 3as in the earlier embodiment. In the second embodiment also it isdesired to provide a counterbalancing effect in the angular workingrange ,6 and a return (angle a) by gravity to the position of readinessdefined by the rod 11.

The support member 4 is provided with a laterally protruding rib 18corresponding to the pin 14 and adapted to cooperate with a helicalspring 19 which is fixed in relation to the shaft 3 of the holderassembly and has a free end20. This spring 19 is arranged on a detail(not shown) which may be said to correspond to the balancing member 5but is fixed in relation to the shaft 3; the spring is secured to a pin21 on said detail which in turn may constitute the fastening means ofthe entire holder assembly.

As will appear from FIG. 3, the spring 19 is so dimensioned and mountedas to get in contact with the rib 18 only after the support member hasbeen rotated through an angle a from the position of readiness definedby the rod 11. Within the angular working range B the support member andthe weight of the hose or cord disposed thereon are counterbalanced bythe coaction between the rib 18 and the end 20 of the spring 19. As thespring end 20 slides against the rib 18 the spring will develop aprogressively greater counterforce, which is required for a correctcounterbalancing since the weight of the hose or cord will have an everlarger lever arm with respect to the shaft upon outward rotation of thesupport member 4 with the tube 7 thereof.

Other spring arrangements than thatdescribed with reference to FIG. 3are conceivable as long as they ensure a release within the angularrange a and produce a correct counter-force in the angular range [3.

All of the advantages associated with a complete counterbalancing of thetool in the entire angular working range thereof, which can be a largeone, and also the advantage of the support member returning by gravityto the position of readiness to be held in an inoperative position onpositive rest means, in the embodiments illustrated the rod 11, areattained with the aid of the holder assembly according to the presentinvention.

It is self-explanatory that in addition to those mentioned above manymodifications are conceivable within the scope of the invention, and theembodiments illustrated should only be considered as examples. Thebiasing means illustrated (counterweight and spring) in otherwiseconforming design may be replaced by some equivalent biasing means, suchas magnet means, pneumatic means or like means. The holder assemblyshould preferably be provided with an aesthetically pleasing housing.

Of course, it is also possible to use the described holder assembly inconnection with tools other than dental tools.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A holder assembly for at least two dental tools comprising basemeans, holding means on said base means for holding dental hand pieceson said base means, shaft means mounted on said base means, at least tworigid support members rotatably mounted on said shaft means, each ofsaid support members having an opening on its upper portion and aprotrusion on its side portion, rigid tube means mounted in each of saidopenings of said support members, at least one adjustable counterweightmeans rotatably mounted on said shaft means for counterbalancing saidcounterweight means having a channel wherein said protrusion is seated,said channel extending rearward of the direction of rotation of saidsupport members so as to permit initial free rotation of said supportmembers and engagement of the walls of said channel only at beginning ofcounterbalancing activity and counterbalancing only the support membersworking, and flexible tubes whereby the connection of the hand pieces toa power source is carried through the openings in said support members,the rigid tube means and the flexible tubes.

2. A holder assembly for two dental tools comprising base means, holdingmeans on said base means for holding dental hand pieces on said basemeans, shaft each of said protrusions are seated so as to permit freerotation of each of said support members before the counterbalancingbegins and to counterbalance only the support member working, andflexible tubes mounted on each of said rigid tubes whereby theconnection of the hand pieces to a power source is carried through theopenings in said support members, the

rigid tubes and the flexible tubes.

1. A holder assembly for at least two dental tools comprising basemeans, holding means on said base means for holding dental hand pieceson said base means, shaft means mounted on said base means, at least tworigid support members rotatably mounted on said shaft means, each ofsaid support members having an opening on its upper portion and aprotrusion on its side portion, rigid tube means mounted in each of saidopenings of said support members, at least one adjustable counterweightmeans rotatably mounted on said shaft means for counterbalancing saidcounterweight means having a channel wherein said protrusion is seated,said channel extending rearward of the direction of rotation of saidsupport members so as to permit initial free rotation of said supportmembers and engagement of the walls of said channel only at beginning ofcounterbalancing activity and counterbalancing only the support membersworking, and flexible tubes whereby the connection of the hand pieces toa power source is carried through the openings in said support members,the rigid tube means and the flexible tubes.
 2. A holder assembly fortwo dental tools comprising base means, holding means on said base meansfor holding dental hand pieces on said base means, shaft means fixedlymounted on said base means, two rigid support means rotatably mounted onsaid shaft means, each of said support means having an opening on itsupper portion and a protrusion on its side portion protruding towardeach other, an adjustable counterweight means rotatably mounted betweensaid support means for counterbalancing said counterweight means havinga channel therethrough and extending rearward of the direction ofrotation of said support members in which each of said protrusions areseated so as to permit free rotation of each of said support membersbefore the counterbalancing begins and to counterbalance only thesupport member working, and flexible tubes mounted on each of said rigidtubes whereby the connection of the hand pieces to a power source iscarried through the openings in said support members, the rigid tubesand the flexible tubes.